250 



MY GARDEN. 



me with the following list of sorts, which, in his opinion, are the 

 finest in cultivation : — 



Fimbriata : pure white, beautifully fringed. 

 General Drouot : rose, striped with white. 

 Lavinia Maggi : white, with crimson 



blotches. 

 Mathotiana : bright crimson, large. 

 Mathotiana alba : beautiful white, large. 

 Princess Frederick WiUiam : carnation, 



striped. 

 Queen of Beauties : delicate blush. 

 Reticulata flore-pleno : double rose. 

 Saccoi nova : rosy pink. 

 Storyii : rosy pink. 

 Valtevaredo : rose, fine form. 



Alba plena : double white. 

 Arch-Duchesse Augusta : crimson, veined 



with purple, tipped with white. 

 Bealii : bright crimson, semi-double. 

 Carlotta Papudoff : fine rose, marbled. 

 Caryophylloides : blush, spotted and 



striped with crimson. 

 Comte de Gomer • pale rose, striped 



with crimson. 

 Countess of Orkney : pure white, striped 



with carmine. 

 Duchesse de Bern : beautiful white, 



good form, and freely imbricated. 



Camellias have hardly done thoroughly well in my garden; in 

 all probability because the soil has not been suitable. They like 

 plenty of water at their roots, and syringing overhead. We keep 

 them in the Poor Man's House till June, and then place them out of 

 doors till October. Camellias do not like artificial heat ; it causes the 

 blossoms to drop off. They live out of doors in mild winters, but 

 severe cold kills them. 



Azaleas flourish at my garden. We have them in blossom from 

 January till June. The Indian Azalea {Azalea 

 indica, fig. 505) is remarkable for the purity 

 of the colour of the flowers ; and I am told 

 by those who have seen a mountain-side in 

 India covered with azaleas in flower, that "it 

 is a sight of marvellous beauty. We grow 

 them in the top spit of the neighbouring 

 common, which is light and sandy, and has 

 abundance of fibre. The greater part of the 

 azaleas are simply stored in one of our cold frames, well matted over 

 in severe weather ; others are forced, to give us early flower, and at 

 the end of June they are placed out of doors till October. With us 

 they flower abundantly, and are perfect pictures. Azaleas have the 

 advantage of being easily propagated by cuttings. 



Fig. 505.— Azalea indica. 



